Fifteen people were killed in traffic crashes across Nebraska during August, according to the Nebraska Department of Transportation.
The 15 deaths occurred in 15 separate fatal crashes. Eleven of the fatalities occurred in rural areas. Four deaths were on interstate highways, six on other highways and five on local roads.
Among those killed were three motorcyclists, one pedestrian and one person driving an all-terrain vehicle.
August’s toll was substantially lower than a year ago, when 22 people died on Nebraska roads.
2026 Traffic Deaths Even With Last Year
Through the first eight months of 2026, Nebraska has recorded 143 traffic fatalities in 130 fatal crashes. Those figures are identical to January-through-August 2025.
The current death toll is below the 167 fatalities recorded through August 2024, but above the 134 deaths during the same period in 2023. The 2022-through-2025 average for the first eight months of the year was 151 fatalities.
Seatbelt use remains a significant part of NDOT’s report. Of the 115 vehicle occupants killed in Nebraska crashes during 2026, only 44 were using seatbelts.
The August report is based on information available to NDOT through September 14.